Paint the sky blue
by Arienhod
Summary: World was a dull, black and white place until a touch of her soulmate brought the colors to Jane's life. But the touch came from the wrong brother.
1. Chapter 1

**Inspired by several Soulmate AU posts on Tumblr.**

* * *

He was coming.

Jane knew even before the machine in the lab started to beep as the readings went haywire. She knew the moment the sky in the distance changed, when the first signs of the Bifrost opening appeared among the twinkling stars.

What she wouldn't give to see it's beauty in color.

She flinched a bit at the thought.

Her world was still dull, still black and white, even though she had physical contact with the man she loved. And what a contact it was. Sometimes Jane could swear she felt her lips tingling from the kiss even though years passed since then.

Another flinch.

It's been four years since Thor returned home and she hasn't seen or heard from him since. Only briefly seen him on TV during the battle in Manhattan. But the anomaly in the sky made it all better. He was coming.

It served as a beacon for Jane, guiding her as she drove through desert towards the landing sight. It was like a lighthouse, showing her a way home.

Home to the man that stood tall in the darkness waiting for her.

As she exited the van and slowly approached the God of Thunder she heard the words she dreamed of hearing many nights alone in her mobile home, "Jane Foster, I have come back to you."

* * *

"What about the lab?" Jane asked as she stood in the middle of the room looking around herself. Some of the machines she made herself and didn't want to part from them. But she couldn't possibly take them with her.

"Lock it up." Thor said calmly, "Now that Bifrost is repaired you will be able to travel to Midgard as often as you wish. Or as often as the obligations will allow it."

"Obligations?" Jane turned towards him so fast she made herself dizzy and had to grab the table to keep herself steady.

A wide smile spread on Thor's face, "I had to wait four years for the Bifrost to be repaired to return to you. Now that I have I do not wish to lose you again. I wish to marry you Jane Foster."

A matching smile appeared on Jane's face. She knew it was sudden and perhaps too soon, but she didn't care. When she couldn't find her soulmate she at least managed to find a man who loved her like one.

"I will be honored to become your wife."

"And my queen." Thor said before he slowly approached Jane and kissed her. And just like the first time it made her lips tingle. But didn't bring the colors.

Jane wondered if she should tell him about Midgardians strange biology but simply didn't know how. How do you tell a man you love he isn't the one fate meant for her? She knew it won't matter soon, anyway. No one knew how it worked but if a person who hasn't find his soulmate marries it's over. He or she can find their soulmate afterwards but they will only get a flash of colors and that's it.

There were stories of soulmates marrying after one of them divorced but they didn't get their colors. Scientists still argued about the cause of it.

She won't have to worry about something like that happening. She was going to Asgard, her soulmate is somewhere on Earth. She will marry a man she loves and hopefully 'he' will find someone too, if he hasn't already.

* * *

"Why did it have to be repaired?" Jane asked as she took the first steps on the Rainbow bridge. It felt so strange under her feet, and if it wasn't for Thor walking calmly next to her she would be terrified it would shatter. But she doubted that was even possible.

"I broke it." Thor answered and Jane realized she was wrong. It was possible.

"Why would you do that?"

A sigh came from her right side, "Loki activated the Bifrost and made sure it can not be deactivated. It was destroying Jotunheim. I had to stop it... I'm sorry Jane." he added silently at the end.

"Sorry for what?" it made no sense that he was apologizing. He prevented a world from being destroyed by his crazy brother.

Thor looked away before he spoke, "Loki taunted me that night. Said if I destroy it I can't go back to you, it might take too long for it to be repaired and by that time you could be already married or even dead. It takes a lot of energy to fix something like the bridge."

"How was it fixed?" she was honestly interested in what could be so powerful that it can be used for repairs.

"With the Tesseract."

"Oh." it wasn't the answer she expected. Jane knew of the cube and it's role in what happened a year ago. Eric told her as much he could, and remembered.

"Where is it now?" curiosity of a scientist won over the apprehension at the thought of being in the vicinity of an item that resulted in her mentor being brainwashed.

"Locked away."

Jane nodded, pleased with the answer, "Like your brother." she added.

Thor stopped suddenly and Jane thought it was because they reached land where the horses waited for them. It wasn't.

"Loki is free." Thor said shocking her instantly, "There was an attack few months ago. Dark elves breached out shields and tried to steal a powerful item from the Vault under the palace. They freed prisoners from the dungeons, thought it would be a good distractions for the guards. They made a mistake and freed Loki as well."

"He killed them?"

A small smile appeared on Thor's face before he nodded, "They went after our mother, thought they could use her for bargain. It was a mistake."

"And now he's free." Jane said as calmly as she could and hoped Thor didn't noticed her voice wavering slightly. The madman that almost destroyed Puente Antiguo and tried to enslave Earth was roaming free.

She wasn't expecting that.

"Loki is my brother, Jane. He won't harm you."

If only she could be as certain in his words as he seemed to be.

* * *

It wasn't all that difficult to avoid Asgard's younger prince as Jane initially feared. She spent most of her time in Frigga's company as the wise queen taught her most important Asgardian laws and helped her prepare herself for the adventure of being Thor's wife and queen.

Still she hasn't told anyone about the lack of colors in her life, although at times it seemed Frigga suspected she was hiding something from them. The truth was It terrified her to reveal her secret to someone out of fear it would result with her being sent back to Earth.

And then one lovely afternoon while Jane and Thor were in the garden what she feared and looked forward the most happened at the same time.

Loki approached then and there was no way she could have excused herself without making it completely obvious that she didn't want to be in his presence.

"Doctor Foster, I am glad to finally have the honor of your presence." he said with a small smile and Jane frowned. He knew. Others maybe didn't, but he knew.

"Prince Loki." she greeted him with a small nod of her head and turned away from him to look at Thor, "You mentioned-"

But before she managed to complete her sentence Loki interrupted her, "How is Eric? Last time I saw him he was-"

"Loki!" Thor growled a warning.

But the trickster shrugged, "I am merely asking for the health of our common friend."

At the sound of Loki calling Eric his friend Jane finally had enough. She turned around and seconds later a loud slap echoed through the garden.

Loki slowly turned his head to glare at Jane while Thor looked shocked that his mild-mannered betrothed had it in her to slap a god. And Jane... Jane was in shock.

"Green... your eyes are green." she whispered to Loki.

"Obviously." he responded. At that moment he thought she might have gone crazy or something like that. Midgardins were after all a frail kind, both physically and mentaly.

Jane started to shake her head while watching his with wide eyes before she slowly backed away from him, "No. No. That's not possible."

Loki rolled her eyes and looked at Thor, "I believe she is broken, brother mine."

"Jane?" Thor called her name as he placed a hand gently on her shoulder and she turned around to look at him. He was even more beautiful now in colors... colors that he didn't give to her.

But his brother did.

Before the God of thunder managed to react she broke free of his touch and ran away in the direction of the entrance to the gardens. And when a snicker came from his brother Thor couldn't help but suspect Loki did something to her. Always the trickster.

"I hate to point out the obvious Thor but I did nothing." Loki defended himself.

"You once promised you would visit her. And you were on Midgard long enough to-"

"But I was also distracted. Trying to take over the world and all that."

Thor's eyes narrowed on his brother who looked far too smug but unfortunately he had no proof Jane's odd behavior was somehow his fault. But if he found it it was Loki who did something to her he will be rather unpleasant.

But he didn't say a word of it, instead choosing to go inside and find Jane. And for some reason Loki decided to follow.

He approached the open doors of Jane's chamber, with his brother few steps behind him, when he heard their mother's soft voice as she comforted Jane. Jane who was crying.

"I feel so bad for it... I don't want to hurt him... but I don't think the wedding can happen." she managed to say as sobs shook her body, "They are so beautiful..."

"But why?" Frigga patiently asked, "What happened?"

It was one word, one single word, that came out of his beloved's mouth that enraged Thor more then he ever was before, "Loki."

The trickster didn't have the time to react before Mjolnir connected with his chest making him fly backwards, all the way to the other side of the wide hallway, before he slammed to the ground.

"You did nothing?!" Thor bellowed at his younger brother as his hammer returned to his hand only to leave it again seconds later as the thundered threw it again at Loki who was slowly getting up.

A quick spell created a shield around Loki and the mighty hammer returned to it's owner.

"What is going on?" Frigga hurriedly exited the room with Jane right behind her.

"Fight me, you coward! Stop hiding behind your tricks!"

A gentle touch on his hand made Thor whip around and found himself face to face with tear streaked face of Jane Foster.

"Don't... it's not his fault."

Thor frowned, "But I heard you. You said-"

"It's biology Thor." she whispered, "There was no way of knowing that of all people he would be the one to bring colors into my life."


	2. Chapter 2

Jane had never seen a room as beautiful and ornamental as Odin All-Father's study. She actually stopped mid-step and looked around in wonder, making Frigga who was leading her in smile sadly at the young mortal.

The queen didn't understand how something so big managed to get pass her, how she didn't noticed. They knew so many things about other races of the Tree, but this was the first time they learned about something so significant that separated the Midgardians from the rest of them, apart from their short lives.

She couldn't imagine how Lady Jane must feel now.

Odin entered the study followed by his older son who came to retrieve him from a meeting. Thor didn't say what it was about but merely insinuated it had to do with Jane and the wedding. It made the All-Father curious. He wasn't all too happy with his heir choosing a mortal from so many lovely women who would maker better queens than the scholar, but Thor loved her and she seemed to love him. And that was a good enough reason for him to offer her one of the golden apples after the wedding.

"Now. Will someone tell me what this meeting is about?" he asked after taking a seat behind a large wooden desk decorated with gold ornaments, "Because 'about the wedding' could mean many things."

"It's about Midgardian biology." Jane clarified and Odin's blue eye focused on her.

"There seems to be some things we were unaware of... even after all these years." Frigga added. Odin looked at her before his eye moved to his son's.

Thor stood few steps behind his betrothed, his arms were crossed in front of him and his lips pressed tight. He knew that look. His older son was angry.

His younger stood next to the door, away from everyone else in the room. As usual his face was a mask that revealed nothing but his eyes told the different story. Something was going on and it made Loki... hesitant? It wasn't an emotion Odin would ever tie to the trickster.

"What things?" he finally asked.

"We have soulmates on Midgard. It's not just a belief there is someone out there just right for us. It's an actual thing." Jane looked uncomfortable as she started to explain it all to what would have been her family, "Without our soulmates we don't see colors. At all. The whole world is black and white and gray. And it remains that way until we same in physical contact with our soulmate."

Frigga placed a hand on her shoulder and Jane turned to look at the queen, "It's alright, dear."

Jane nodded and smiled weakly, "Sometimes people fall in love and choose to marry someone who isn't their soulmate. It happens often, they simply stop trying to find their other half. That happened to me. Thor isn't my soulmate. My world remained black and white after we met. And it would remain so even after we got married."

"And if you met your soulmate after the wedding? What then?" Odin asked. He loved his son and didn't want him to get hurt. Soulmates weren't something one should stand in between of.

"That wouldn't change anything. I would get a burst of colors but they would fade. It happened to my mother."

Odin nodded, pleased with the answer. But it still didn't make any sense why he was hearing about this now, "Is there a specific reason why this was brought up today?"

Jane instantly looked down on the floor, "Because I slapped Loki." Odin's eyebrow raised in surprise at her brash action, "And now I can see the colors."

The All-Father leaned back in his chair and observed his son's once more. The one who loved Lady Jane and the one who apparently was her made for her. What were the odds?

"Jane..." Thor spoke before walking the few steps to stand next to the woman he loves, "We can still wed."

She nodded before giving him a sad smile, "I know we can. And I would love to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you... but I'm afraid. They would fade Thor... I just saw them and they are so beautiful and I'm so selfish."

"You are not a selfish person Jane Foster." he responded honestly.

"You are now experiencing something we all take for granted." Frigga spoke as she and Odin shared a look.

"What do you think Loki?" the All-Father asked, after noticing the trickster remained surprisingly quiet during the whole explanation.

"I think Lady Jane has two options. Either she marries Thor or she doesn't. Me being her soulmate doesn't change anything."

Thor turned to glare at his brother. Not because he disagreed but because there was a third option. As as much as he loved Jane he also wanted her to be truly happy. And if a requirement for that was for her to marry his brother then so be it.

"Actually-" he started to speak but Loki cut him off.

"No Thor, there is no 'actually'." Loki's green eyes flashed in anger, "I know what you were going to suggest and it's not going to happen. It isn't bad enough everyone is constantly whispering behind my back that I am jealous of you and wish to have the throne. What would you think would happen if I were to marry the woman you love? I will tell you what. They would all accuse me of stealing her from you."

"Now what?" Thor asked, after recognizing the truth in his brother's words.

Jane sighed and responded with a honest, "I don't know."

* * *

It was a grand event, something that happens once every few thousand years. The wedding of the crown prince.

Jane was nervous the whole morning and walked quite the distance inside her chamber as she paced from wall to wall. Wedding jitters, they called it on Earth. And according to Frigga they were quite common throughout the realms.

She herself felt rather nervous before the wedding ceremony that tied her to Odin over four thousand years ago. But then when the ceremony was completed the nervousness was gone. Only the feeling of content remained.

The great hall was filled with emissaries from other realms Asgard was at peace with as well as royals and guards of the realm whose princess she is about to become. And that thought made Jane giggle.

Her... a princess. It wasn't something she ever dreamed of becoming. Unlike all other little girls, as a child she wished to become an astronaut. To see the stars up-close.

There was no one to lead her towards the throne where Thor waited for her. No one to give her away. It was part of the actual ceremony. She herself needed to chose to come to Thor, no one had the right to just give her away to him.

That little detail she liked.

Odin stood in front of his incredible throne, watching with a small smile as the woman in white approached the stairs. As she passed the gathered masses bowed their heads in greet of the future queen. She was a mortal for just a little longer, but already she looked like a goddess.

Thor offered her his hand as she stopped in front of the stairs where he stood and together they walked up on the first landing. As Odin walked down they turned towards each other, faced each other as they will for the rest of their lives. And a wide smile spread on Jane's lips. She was happy.

She choose love over biology.

Their hands were bound with a golden thread, their union was blessed by the All-Father and queen Frigga. Their marriage was sealed with a chaste kiss that served as a promise of more.

Jane pulled back and opened her eyes to look at her new husband. And her smile wavered.

Quickly she glanced towards Loki who stood on the stair below the landing right behind Thor. He was smiling but she could see remorse in his smile. He knew what had happened.

Others did too, she told them what would happen, but only Loki seemed bothered by it.

She choose love over biology.

And now her colors faded away.

* * *

With a gasp Jane opened her eyes and sat up. It took her few moments to realize she was in her bed, in the cabin she rented, in Norway.

It was a rash decision on her part to just pack her essential things and move thousands of miles into a place that could be more different then Puente Antiguo even if it tried.

Loosening her tense muscles she plopped back on the soft bed and dragged the warm comforter over her head. It was an useless attempt to get away from reality, even for a short while.

And the reality was she left Asgard shortly after the meeting in Odin's study.

Thor was actually more understandable about it then she expected. More understandable then she was. He was Asgardian, he was raised to believe in fate. He was raised to believe it was wrong to marry someone who fate destined for another.

Loki called him an idiot after he learned about Thor's words.

So with the blessing, and words of encouragement, from what would have been her husband she returned on Earth. And alone in the four walls of the laboratory Jane watched as the beauty of the colors dulled.

They were still there, even now months later, but a pale in comparison with the beauty she could see in the Realm Eternal.

"Damn it." she muttered and threw off her cover. There was no sleeping for Jane Foster tonight. Not with her mind being so active.

Instead she put on her thick jacket and winter boots and walked outside on the wide porch in front of the cabin. And it was worth it.

The chill and the tiredness were pushed aside when she looked up and saw the endless beauty of the night sky.

Jane risked a cold and sat down on one of the steps, her eyes never leaving the darkness covered with twinkling stars. It wasn't as beautiful as the first night back, as she saw it for the first time in color, but even if her colors faded away completely Jane knew she would never see them as less beautiful than they are.

But just then the feeling of melancholy striked again and tears started to cloud her vision. And for the hundredth time Jane wondered if she made a mistake.

If only she didn't react the way she had, if only she didn't revealed what touching Loki did to her, if only... now she would be married to the man she loves.

If only she wasn't so selfish.

A gently touch on her cheek made Jane jump in fright and look up. And her eyes met sad green ones.

"Loki..." she muttered at the shocking sight of the younger Asgardian prince kneeling in front of her.

"I am selfish too." he whispered so quietly she barely heard him, "Things aren't doing so well in Asgard right now and I needed to get away. I was right. They accused me of being the culprit, and even though in a way I was it wasn't intentional. I didn't desired you and planed to split you and by brother. And yet I came to you... because you are the only one who might welcome me. I am selfish too. I know I am a reminder of the things you lost but I came here anyway because..."

"Loki?"

"Is it crazy that I want to stay by your side and ensure your colors never fade away?" Loki's question made Jane gasp and seconds later her eyes widened as a golden apple appeared in his hand out of nowhere.

"Is that...?"

"It is." he responded, "It's your choice, of course. Five thousand years is a long time."

Jane pulled her hand back after already reaching for the fruit and looked at the younger Asgardian prince in front of her. A part of her wanted to tell him to leave; he was a madman who tried to take over the world and used Erik to help him, who sent a metal giant on Puente Antiguo to kill his own brother.

"Tell me why?" she suddenly asked and Loki frowned, not understanding what she meant, "Why did you do all those things?"

Loki sighed and bowed his head, "It started with me wanting to be Thor's equal. And then it all fell apart... and I fell too."

"I don't want to go back to Asgard. " Jane finally said after few minutes of silence. It was the truth, she didn't want to face Thor. And more importantly she didn't want to face all those who would look at her strangely and question her choices.

"Neither do I." Loki responded.

He watched as Jane looked up at the sky and smiled widely, "What is out there?" she asked.

A smile appeared on his face as well, a hopeful smile, "I can show you if you want."

Jane reached and took the apple from his hand, "I want."


End file.
